Resiliency Theory

Abstract

Resiliency theory suggests that all children, adults, and communities have “an innate self-righting” tendency and that every one of us possesses “the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or sustained life stress.”1 This issue of the Smile File is dedicated to those individuals who defy environmental odds, those who not only survive misfortune but manage to thrive in the face of adversity. We will examine what factors contribute to their success and discuss how we may disseminate their message to other at-risk individuals.